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August 2025 Round-Up: The 9 Best Hip Hop Albums Of The Month

August 2025 Round-Up: The 9 Best Hip Hop Albums Of The Month

August 2025 Round-Up: The 9 Best Hip Hop Albums Of The Month: For this piece, we selected our 9 favorite Hip Hop albums released this August. Did we miss any albums you feel need to be mentioned? Let us know in the comments!

Also read: The Best Hip Hop Albums Of 2025

1. Preservation & Gabe ‘Nandez – Sortilège

Sortilège by Preservation and Gabe ‘Nandez is an immersive 14-track Hip Hop experience, pulsing with gritty, cinematic energy—blending eerie, slowed-down boom bap with a vivid, dreamlike intensity. Preservation’s production is a dense collage of thumping drums and eclectic samples, from the haunting, wind-swept keys of “Harmattan” to the jazzy, muted horns in “Ball & Chain.” The beats breathe with space, letting each instrument—grimy basslines, whispering snares—carve out its own territory, evoking a nocturnal cityscape alive with tension.

Gabe ‘Nandez’s baritone cuts through like a blade, his flow precise and relentless. On “Shadowstep,” his measured cadence dances over Preservation’s skittering drums, delivering sharp, introspective lines about survival and identity. Tracks like “Mondo Cane,” featuring Armand Hammer and Benjamin Booker, brim with chaotic energy, its distorted guitars and pounding rhythm framing ‘Nandez’s vivid storytelling. His lyrics, steeped in cultural references and personal history, carry a weighty, philosophical edge, particularly in “War,” where billy woods’ gravelly verse adds a layer of brooding menace.

The album’s structure is deliberate, shifting from short, punchy tracks like “Spire” to sprawling, narrative-driven pieces like “Nom De Guerre,” featuring Ze Nkoma Mpaga Ni Ngoko’s hypnotic vocal flourishes. The Francophone influences—Preservation’s French heritage and ‘Nandez’s Malian roots—infuse the record with a distinct texture, heard in the subtle vocal samples and rhythmic choices. While the dense production occasionally overshadows ‘Nandez’s voice, as in “Kurtz,” the synergy between the two artists is magnetic. Sortilège is another Backwoodz Studioz winner— a gripping listen, its heavy beats and incisive rhymes painting a world both esoteric and immediate, like a lucid dream projected onto a concrete wall.

Release date: August 15, 2025.

2. Ghostface Killah – Supreme Clientele 2

Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele 2 | Review

Ghostface Killah’s Supreme Clientele 2 arrives as a gritty nod to his 2000 masterpiece, carrying the weight of a storied career. Known for vivid storytelling and chaotic lyricism, Ghostface has a catalog—Ironman (1996), Fishscale (2006), Twelve Reasons to Die (2013)—that outshines all of his Wu-Tang peers. But recent efforts, like 2024’s lackluster Set the Tone (Guns & Roses), threatened to dim his spark. This sequel aims to reignite it, and while it’s uneven, it delivers enough fire to prove Ghostface still matters.

The album crams 22 tracks into 48 minutes, most songs short and punchy, giving a mixtape-like rush. This brevity keeps the energy high but often clips momentum—some cuts end just as they heat up. Annoying skits like “Pause” and “Sale of the Century” disrupt the flow, feeling like pointless filler. Yet when Ghostface locks in, the results are electric. “Ironman” opens with clanging steel drums and soul loops, his scattershot slang sharp as ever. “Sample 420” with M.O.P. burns with cypher intensity, all funky haze and raw bars. “Curtis May,” featuring Styles P and Conway the Machine, balances icy precision and gritty urgency, Ghostface holding his own between heavyweights.

Mid-album, a trio of tracks—“Break Beats,” “Beat Box,” and “Rap Kingpin”—channels ‘80s block-party vibes with vinyl crackle and drum breaks. “Rap Kingpin” blends Eric B. & Rakim’s “My Melody” with Ghostface’s own “Mighty Healthy,” a nod to Hip Hop’s roots while asserting his place in its lineage. Storytelling shines on “4th Disciple,” a vivid tragedy of despair, and “The Trial,” a theatrical courtroom drama with Raekwon, GZA, and Method Man, unfolding like a rap play. “Love Me Anymore” pairs Ghostface with Nas, their chemistry taut—Ghostface sharp, Nas weary—over soulful samples.

Pieced from vault recordings and fresh verses, the album feels more like a collage than a unified work. Some tracks fade fast, undercooked, while others snap into focus. It lacks the cohesive arc of Supreme Clientele, but its best moments—“Ironman,” “Sample 420,” “Rap Kingpin,” “The Trial”—carry Ghostface’s signature mix of surreal slang, raw emotion, and relentless energy. It’s not a classic, but it doesn’t need to be. Supreme Clientele 2 proves Ghostface’s pen and voice still burn bright.

Release date: August 22, 2025.

3. Evidence – Unlearning Vol. 2

Unlearning Vol. 2, Evidence’s fifth solo album and the follow-up to 2021’s Unlearning Vol. 1, is a 15-track, 37-minute plunge into introspective Hip Hop. Rooted in his Dilated Peoples legacy alongside Rakaa and DJ Babu, the Venice, California emcee and producer delivers a sound that’s gritty yet soulful, evoking a sun-bleached coastal drive at dusk. Sebb Bash’s funky, bass-driven beat on “Plans Change” kicks off the record with sharp energy, Evidence’s laid-back flow cutting through with vivid reflections on breaking old habits.

The production, crafted by The Alchemist, C-Lance, Conductor Williams, and Evidence himself, weaves soulful samples with crisp, deliberate drums. “Seeing Double” carries a haunting, minimal beat, its sparse keys amplifying Evidence’s steady musings on trust and survival. “Future Memories,” featuring Larry June, glides over The Alchemist’s jazzy horns, its mellow rhythm framing sharp bars about perseverance. This is a tight listen, with concise tracks like “Nothing’s Perfect,” where Evidence likens his life to a curated playlist over a chipmunk-soul beat, maintaining a brisk pace. “Greatest Motivation,” featuring Theravada, pulses with crooned hooks and stark percussion, delivering raw lines on ambition and struggle.

Guest appearances from Blu, Domo Genesis, and The Alchemist add texture, but Evidence’s precise lyricism anchors the project. On “Laughing Last,” his verses grapple with family and loss, paired with a moody, piano-laced beat that carries heavy emotional weight. The closing “Dutch Angle” chops a weary vocal sample, leaving a defiant aftertaste. While the relentless introspection occasionally feels dense, the cohesive production and Evidence’s focused delivery make Unlearning Vol. 2 a compelling listen, vivid with the struggle of reinvention and the pull of personal history.

Release date: August 15, 2025.

4. ShrapKnel & Mike Ladd – Saisir Le Feu

Saisir Le Feu—the second project in ShrapKnel’s 2025 trilogy—pairs the duo with underground legend Mike Ladd, who handles all production across the record. The beats are sharp, unpredictable, and colorful—ranging from fractured rhythms to grooves that are almost uncharacteristically dancefloor-ready. Curly Castro and PremRock move through them with precision, adjusting their delivery to match sudden tempo shifts and strange pockets. Features from Jesse the Tree, Phiik, doseone, Mestizo, and Jyroscope add extra layers without disrupting the duo’s focus.

At just a hair over 30 minutes, the album barely clears our cut-off for eligibility—unlike Lincoln Continental Breakfast with Raphy (the first release of the trilogy), which we considered an EP—but that brevity makes the energy tight and impactful. While the length leaves us wishing for one more stretch of tracks, the record still lands with authority. Saisir Le Feu is the brightest, most rhythmically agile we’ve heard ShrapKnel, and Ladd’s production gives it an edge that sticks long after the final track cuts out. All three records that make up the trilogy are excellent—this one is our favorite.

Release date: August 5, 2025.

5. Joey Valence & Brae – HYPERYOUTH

Joey Valence & Brae’s HYPERYOUTH hits like a sugar rush—loud, colorful, and impossible to ignore. The duo lean into their playful, high-speed brand of Beastie Boys-inspired Hip Hop while slipping in flashes of reflection that keep the record from being one-dimensional. From the jump, tracks like “BUST DOWN” and “GIVE IT TO ME” bring wild, bratty energy, all punchy drums and rapid-fire bars that sound tailor-made for crowded basements and sweaty clubs.

The features amplify the chaos in clever ways: JPEGMAFIA snarls across the standout “WASSUP,” TiaCorine locks into a sharp pocket on “BUST DOWN,” and Rebecca Black transforms “SEE U DANCE” into a glossy, neon-lit anthem. Even with the poppier detours, the record doesn’t lose momentum—if anything, the variety makes the whole project more unpredictable.

What gives HYPERYOUTH real staying power is the willingness to look past nonstop partying. “LIVE RIGHT” balances playful bravado with an almost vulnerable admission of fearing adulthood. The hook—“As long as I got my friends / Don’t want this shit to end”—lands as the emotional core of the album, reminding you that under the chaos, the duo are writing about growing up without letting go of fun. “PARTY’S OVER” continues that thread with a more reflective tone, like the moment after the lights come on and everyone has to figure out what’s next.

We’re not usually the biggest fans of dance-driven Hip Hop, but here the blend works. The pop textures don’t water down the duo’s identity—they heighten it. HYPERYOUTH is stacked with energy front to back, the kind of record that’s rowdy, sincere, and self-aware all at once. Joey Valence & Brae don’t slow down, and they don’t have to—the chaos is the point.

Release date: August 15, 2025.

6. JID – God Does Like Ugly

God Does Like Ugly, JID’s fourth studio album, is a 15-track, 58-minute journey through gritty, soulful Hip Hop, steeped in the Atlanta rapper’s dense lyricism and restless energy. Following 2022’s The Forever Story, this record pulses with a chaotic, vivid mood, like a street sermon delivered under flickering neon lights. The production, helmed by names like Childish Major, Lex Luger, and Boi-1da, weaves warped samples and heavy bass, creating a restless, cinematic backdrop. “YouUgly,” featuring Westside Gunn, opens with jarring 808s and erratic beat switches, JID’s rapid-fire flow slicing through with sharp critiques of fame and struggle.

The album’s sounds are dynamic, shifting from the gospel-tinged “Glory,” where JID’s reflective bars about his incarcerated brother ride Beatnick Dee’s soulful loops, to the aggressive, bass-heavy “WRK,” a motivational anthem with New Orleans bounce. “Community,” featuring Clipse, layers unsettling harmonies and dense drums, JID and Pusha T trading vivid lines about systemic hardship. The mood darkens on “Of Blue,” a six-minute epic with Mereba’s tender vocals and multiple beat switches, from acoustic calm to jazzy chaos, as JID wrestles with faith and purpose.

Guest spots from Vince Staples, Ciara, and EarthGang add texture, though tracks like “What We On” Don Toliver drift into slower, trap-heavy vibes that sap momentum. JID’s lyrical precision shines throughout, especially on “K-Word,” where Pastor Troy’s grizzled vocals amplify the cinematic guitars and JID’s scriptural bars. The closing “For Keeps” offers a soulful, dusty reflection on his rise, brimming with gratitude. God Does Like Ugly is a vibrant, if at times uneven project—alive with JID’s relentless vision, weaving beauty and pain into a gripping portrait of survival, even if it falls short of The Forever Story’s towering impact.

Release date: August 8, 2025.

7. Murs – Love & Rockets 3:16 (The Emancipation)

Love & Rockets 3:16 (The Emancipation), Murs’ supposed final solo album and the third in his Love & Rockets trilogy, is a sharp, introspective Hip Hop farewell from the Los Angeles veteran and former Living Legends member. Produced entirely by Jesse Shatkin, its 11 tracks clock in at a lean 31 minutes, feeling too brief to fully anchor its weighty reflections. The mood is nostalgic yet urgent, like a late-night drive through LA’s glowing streets, Murs’ voice carrying the warmth of a seasoned storyteller.

The sound is eclectic, blending experimental trap on “Silverlake Rec League,” with its pulsing bass and crisp snares, and jazzy, flute-tinged boom bap in “F.A.M.I.L.Y.,” where Murs celebrates his fanbase with heartfelt bars. “Chopper (ThisIsNotAnAntiPoliceSongThisIsAnAntiPoliceHelicopterSong),” featuring Reverie, crackles with defiant energy, its skittering drums fueling sharp jabs at the LAPD. “Stylus Groove” closes with a drumless, reflective beat, Murs’ witty lyricism tracing his three-decade career with vivid honesty.

Tracks like “Flowers 4 will.i.am” weave gratitude with soulful keys, while “Lightsabers and Black Forces,” featuring Chace Infinite, pops with playful Star Wars nods over a bouncy rhythm. The production is polished, but the album’s brevity dulls its lasting impact, leaving some ideas underdeveloped. Still, Murs’ precise flow and clever storytelling shine, especially on “Ga$ Prices,” where he muses on everyday struggles with a wry grin. Love & Rockets 3:16 (The Emancipation) is a dope addition to a strong catalog, a concise, vibrant capstone that burns bright but fades too quickly.

Release date: August 15, 2025.

8. FirstRepair – The Reckoning

The Reckoning by FirstRepair draws its urgency and conviction from the nonprofit’s deep roots in reparative advocacy. Founded in Evanston, Illinois by Robin Rue Simmons—who led the city’s landmark reparations efforts—FirstRepair is a resource for education, policy development, and community empowerment, focusing on racial justice and concrete support for Black communities. The album channels FirstRepair’s mission directly into Hip Hop, using crisp, heavy beats and potent lyrics from legends like KRS-One, Dead Prez, Ras Kass, and Scarface. The album speaks plainly about history, repair, and action, giving voice to lived experience and forward momentum. Structure is tight, momentum builds track to track, and spoken interludes ground each segment in real community context. Each song is a call to engagement, amplifying FirstRepair’s vision for justice through every verse and rhythm. This harks back to the early days of Hip Hop, when the music focused on upliftment, social consciousness, and empowering communities through musical expression. We are here for FirstRepair, and you should be too.

Release date: August 21, 2025.

9. Joey Bada$$ – Lonely At The Top

Joey Bada$$’s Lonely At The Top crackles with the hunger of his early work, blending sharp lyricism with a restless energy. The sound is a mix of gritty boom-bap and cinematic flourishes, with tracks like “DARK AURA” setting a menacing tone through orchestral stabs and a thumping bassline. Joey’s delivery is fierce, his verses dense with vivid imagery, especially on “SWANK WHITE,” where Westside Gunn’s gravelly feature adds grit to a soul-sampled beat. The mood shifts between brash confidence and introspective weight, reflecting Joey’s navigation of fame and personal loss.

“BK’S FINEST” is a standout, its string-laced production driving fiery verses from Joey, Rome Streetz, and CJ Fly. “STILL” delivers too, with Statik Selektah’s eerie piano loops anchoring Joey’s reflective bars alongside Ab-Soul and Rapsody’s soulful hook. “LONELY AT THE TOP” closes with jazzy piano and Joey’s nostalgic flow, a nod to his 1999 roots.

But the pop-leaning cuts stumble. “HIGHROLLER” and “READY TO LOVE” aim for radio-friendly vibes with electronic beats and R&B hooks, but feel hollow. “UNDERWATER” and “3 FEET AWAY” feature Joey singing, which lacks the strength of his rapping, thereby dragging the pace. The production here feels glossy, missing the raw edge of the harder tracks. Lonely At The Top shines when Joey sticks to Hip Hop’s core, but the pop experiments dilute its impact.

Release date: August 29, 2025.